Valve for gas-burning furnaces



(No Model.)

J. W. HIGGS. VALVE FOR GAS BURNING FURNACES.

. Patented May 12, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH IVILLONON HIGGS, OF SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE FOR GAS-BURNING FURNACES.

SPEGIFICA'IION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,347, dated May 12,1891.

Application filed June 11, 1890- Serial 110,354,997- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WILLoNo HIGGS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sharon, in the county of Mercer and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inValves for Gas-BurningFnrnaces; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates particularly to an improved damper-valve forgas-burning furnaees, the object of the invention being to construct avalve with certain accessories, whereby an accurate and positive set ofthe valve can always be had.

With this object in View my invention consists in the peculiarconstruction of various parts, and the novel combination of said parts,such as shown in the accompanying drawings, and fully explainedhereinafter.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is avertical sectional view of the damper, hoods, drc. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview through the valve and valvechamber. Fig. 3 illustrates a modifiedform.

Referring to the drawings,A indicates a chamber or passage leading fromthe gasproducer.

B indicates the passage through which the gas is conducted to be burned,and O indicates a hood or passage through which are led the products ofcombustion to the stack D. A valve-chamber E is arranged at the junctureof the passages A, B, and C, and in said valvechamber is journaled avalve F, said valve being hollow, as shown, and carrying at each side.the tubular bcariu gs Gr,j0l1ll12tl9d in the casing. The valve is of asize sufficient to extend from one side of the gas-producer chamber tothe diagonally-opposite side of either the gas-delivery pipe B and thepassage or hood 0. By this means the gas can be entirely shut off fromone passage and directed to another, according to the will of theoperator. The valve is operated by means of the hand-lever H, whichpasses through or is attached to one of the tubular journals.

1 indicates the valve-seats, which consist of recesses it, ofapproximately V shape in cross-section, and which are adapted to receivethe adjacent edge of the valve and protect the latter from the force andheat of the gases.

In the valves now in use the ends, being constantly exposed to the heatof the burning gases, become warped and twisted, and consequently do notfit closely upon their seats, and there is no certainty in directing thegas. My improved valve is intended to remedy this evil in particular,and to do this I force a stream of cold water into the hollow valve nearits hottest end. By cold water I mean water of a temperature low enoughto cool the heated parts of the valve, but not cold enough to crack thesame. To lead the water into the valve at the proper place, I employ thepipe K, which is connected with one of the tubular journals and iscurved down toward the warmer'end of the valve. In the opposite journalis arranged an overflow-pipe K, which carries oif the water after havingbeen heated by contact with the warmer end of valve.

To obviate burning of the valve-seats, I provide water-chambers L L,located adjacent to said valve-seats and at opposite sides of thecasing. By this construction the intervening portion of the casing isthus left free from contact with the chambers L, the purpose of whichwill appear ,farther on. The chambers are adapted to have a current ofcold water constantly circulating therethrough; and to effect this endmeans are provided which preferably consist of an inlet-pipe Z enteringthe upper chamber L, a pipe Z communicating with the upper and lowerchambers, and an outlet-pipe Z projecting from the latter chamber.

The practical operation of my improved apparatus is as follows: lhedamper-valve being turned to the position shown in Fig. l, the gascoming from the producer passes into the valve-chamber, where it isdefiected'by the valve into the conducting passage B, which leads to thefurnace, where the gas is consumed. The heated products of combustionpass from the furnace through the passage O to the stack and are sodirected by the opposite side of the valve. The portions of the valveadjacent to the passage leading from the furnace arehighly heated andwould warp or twist, but the stream of water 0011- Y stantly flowingthrough said valve prevents this and keeps the valve true upon itsseats; and to prevent the seats burning out water' chambers are arrangedadjacent to them, as shown.

In gas-burning furnaces it becomes necessary at times to reverse theoperation just described and have the gas pass from the producer to thehood; and to accomplish this the lever is operated and the valvereversed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By the employment of twoindependent chambers L, located adjacent to the valve-seats and freefrom contact with the intervening portion of the valve-casing, it willbe obvious that the sides of the casing are permitted to become heated,thereby preventing generation of tar and the consequent clogging of thevalve, which would thus render the latter inoperative.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a slightly-modified form of valve, which consistsin a coiled pipe arranged within the valve, with its ends passing outthrough the tubular journals. Water entering atone side passes to thewarmer part of the valve and gradually passes up and out in a mannersimilar to that already described.

I am aware that hollow valves of this character have been heretoforeconstructed, employing a partition extending downwardly therein from thecenter, and a second partition extending upwardly from the center of thevalve, and inlet and outlet ports separated by said partitions, theobject 01. such construction being to afford continuous circulation of acooling medium through the valve, the latter being adapted to be at alltimes filled with the cooling medium; andI am also aware thatcooling-chambers have been provided which entirely surround the valve,and are also adapted to receive a coolingmedium but to suchconstructions I lay no claim, my invention consisting in theconstruction, I

combination, and arrangement of parts, as specifically set forth in thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim is 1. In a valve forgas-burning furnaces, the combination, with a valve-easing provided withvalve-seats, and a valve disposed in said casing, of chamberssurrounding said valveseats and disposed at opposite sides of thecasing, the intervening portion of the latter being free from contacttherewith, and means for effecting circulation of a cooling mediumthrough said chambers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Theherein-described valve for gas-burning furnaces, comprising acasing, chambers located, respectively, at the top and bottom thereofand independent of each other and adapted to receivea cooling medium,the hollow valve proper journaled horizontally and having its upper andlower ends only adapted to contact with said chambers, and means foreffecting circulation of a cooling medium through the valve, comprisingan inlet-pipe passing through one of the valve-bearings and extendeddown within the valve to near the bottom thereof, and an outletpipepassing through the opposite bearing and extending interiorly to nearthe top of the valve, all arranged substantially in the manner and forthe purpose set forth.

3. In a valve for gas-burning furnaces, the combination, with avalve'casing provided with valve-seats, and chambers surrounding thelatter and disposed at opposite sides of the casing, of ahollow valvedisposed in said casing, and means i'orelfecting circulation of acooling medium through said chambers and valve, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I at'tix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH \VILLONON HIGGS.

Witnesses:

Lnvr lIreerns, .IAS. (t. Emmivns.

